[TC5] Road Roller

[Tamas Juhasz]

Hi all!

Nowadays I have very limited time for making mocs (this is also the reason for less activity here, but maybe you didn't forget me : ), but finally I made and uploaded my entry for TC5 contest.

It's a road roller from 8264:

ROAD ROLLER

- 505 of 575 parts used

- motorized

- automatic forward-backward movement between two walls

- manual steering with linear actuator

- openable rear cover plate

- can do some "real" road rolling work

I listed my sets, which can be used for the contest, and I relaized, I have mostly small sets with 100-150 parts. Then I found 8264, with optimal part count, 575. So this is my only set which is good for making an entry. Interesting things: it has nerly no gears (only a turntable and one 8t gear), but contains one PF M motor with battery box. I didn't want to switch the model on-off with touching the BB's switch inside (it's hard to make precisely, and uncomfortable), so I began to think with some external control mechanism. This ended up with a long rod, if you push it, the road roller goes towards. This also stops the vehicle when it reaches a wall, it's some kind of protection for the motor.

Steering positions:

The really small drivetrain:

Leftover parts:

I made it in LDD --> instructions:

www.brickshelf.com/gallery/mbmc137/Road-roller/z-8264-instructions.lxf

VIDEO:

Here you can see the behaviour of the mechanism --> not always predictable

Hope you like it. Comments are always welcomed.

[Zerobricks]

Nice work! Good use of the turntable for the drive gear, very clever. That rod is also a nice feature.

[Jeroen Ottens]

Very clever.

Two functions from a set with only 1 gear is impressive.

The use of the turntable is inspired as well.

[Alasdair Ryan]

Can someone explain the purpose of that long axle?

The long axle really does spoil what could be a very good entry.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Alasdair Ryan

[D3K]

Can someone explain the purpose of that long axle?

The long axle really does spoil what could be a very good entry.

Read the description, I'm sure you'll figure it out;-)

Great entry, wanted to make an entry with this set myself, but was lacking the yellow wheels:-)

[jorgeopesi]

I like it :thumbup: .

[Tomik]

Great idea - I haven't seen many road rollers built out of Lego Technic. I like its overall look except that axle for switching battery box...

[jantjeuh]

Interesting and very original entry! Can't recall ever seeing a road roller MOC before.

Can someone explain the purpose of that long axle?

The long axle really does spoil what could be a very good entry.

Someone needs to brush up on reading comprehension

Great entry, wanted to make an entry with this set myself, but was lacking the yellow wheels:-)

Those yellow wheels are quite expensive yes, looks like they only came with this set. Main reason why I've never built the original set (I'm a perfectionist).

Edited November 27, 2014 by jantjeuh

[Rishab N]

Nice work.The axle for switching the battery box is interesting,but it doesn't look too good

[Jim]

Nice work indeed!

I assumed the rod was mimicking some real life mechanism. Since it isn't I think you should omit it. Will probably be beneficial for your end result.

[5imon]

Great work!

The hauler was my first AFOL set, so I still have a special fondness for it. As it was for some time my only set, I also derived some one set MOCs from it. But I never succeeded to really implement interesting mechanisms, due to the lack of gears. So what you achieved here is really great.

I also like the pushrod mechanism, even if its looks can be debated. Bit it's certainly a good addition to playability and overcomes the fiddly action of the battery box switch. The steering looks like it's a bit slow to operate, but then this isn't the type of vehicle you use for having fun on curvy roads...

The only critical point I can see is the optical balance between the blocky rear part and the somewhat empty front. But with the battery box inside, it seems hard to do this better.

I think I will have a look at the instructions and probably build it.

[Tamas Juhasz]

Thanks for kind comments.

@Alasdair Ryan: as others wrote, it's easy to understand the working method, see the end of the video, which clearly shows the rod's function.

Look & long axle: even B models doesn't look so good (Lego has some terrible), imho it adds more functionality than less good looking. The color shame isn't random: above the front black wheels it's black, in the lighter areas it's LBG and yellow. If it weren't, how would you switch on/off? The BB's switch is terrible for play.

Anyway, I ask: would it look much better without the long axle? Or if I remove only the front part of the axle?

@5imon: Why is the empty front and bigger rear part a critical point? Look around real road rollers, they are all made with this structure:

(this was my inspiration)

Edited November 28, 2014 by Mbmc

[Appie]

I actually had a similar idea with this set a few weeks ago. And with that I mean the idea of switching the BB switch when it bumps into a wall, but I abandoned it because I'd have to buy the set pretty much and I couldn't think of a way to "dress up" the concept. Dressing it up as road roller is awesome though.

[5imon]

@5imon: Why is the empty front and bigger rear part a critical point? Look around real road rollers, they are all made with this structure:

[pic]

(this was my inspiration)

Looking at the pic of the real thing, I think I found out what irritated me a bit about the proportions. In the original, the roll and the cabin are much bigger, so there is almost no gap between them. When both are smaller, this gap made the front part look "empty" to me.

But hey, please don't take this as an offence, I could hardly imagine doing it differently with the available parts. Anyway the roll could never be bigger than the rear wheels in a model made of 8264 parts.

[Tamas Juhasz]

I actually had a similar idea with this set a few weeks ago. And with that I mean the idea of switching the BB switch when it bumps into a wall, but I abandoned it because I'd have to buy the set pretty much and I couldn't think of a way to "dress up" the concept. Dressing it up as road roller is awesome though.

Yes, with 6 wheels imho it's easy to think about a road roller, or truck. I wondered that weren't any road rollers from 8264 before my entry.

Looking at the pic of the real thing, I think I found out what irritated me a bit about the proportions. In the original, the roll and the cabin are much bigger, so there is almost no gap between them. When both are smaller, this gap made the front part look "empty" to me.

But hey, please don't take this as an offence, I could hardly imagine doing it differently with the available parts. Anyway the roll could never be bigger than the rear wheels in a model made of 8264 parts.

No problem, I was just curious about your remark. You are right, (especially) with predetermined parts a moc has always some compromises. That's about Lego and technic.

My question is still here:

Would it look much better without the long axle? Or if I remove only the front part of the axle?

[Tomik]

My question is still here:

Would it look much better without the long axle? Or if I remove only the front part of the axle?

I think so. You can try to use rear bumper for swithing or turning on battery box. Look at set 8472.

[Zerobricks]

Is there a way to make the front part of the roller move a bit and switch the abttery box? This way you still have the feature but hidden.

[Tamas Juhasz]

Is there a way to make the front part of the roller move a bit and switch the abttery box? This way you still have the feature but hidden.

Sorry for the late answer, I was busy. I also thought about this, but I fear it needs redesigning the whole moc, and the leftover time isn't enough for it. Maybe I'll make later a completely different vehicle from 8264 with "bumper control".